100 Great Black Britons - Queen Phillipa Queen Phillipa England's first black queen, mother of the black prince Philippa was the daughter of William of Hainault, a lord in part of what is now Belgium. When she was nine the King of England, Edward II, decided that he would marry his son, the future Edward III, to her, and sent one of his bishops, a Bishop Stapeldon, to look at her. He described her thus: "The lady whom we saw has not uncomely hair, betwixt blue-black and brown. Her head is cleaned shaped; her forehead high and broad, and standing somewhat forward. Her face narrows between the eyes, and the lower part of her face is still more narrow and slender than the forehead. Her eyes are blackish brown and deep. Her nose is fairly smooth and even, save that is somewhat broad at the tip and flattened, yet it is no snub nose. Her nostrils are also broad, her mouth fairly wide. Her lips somewhat full and especially the lower lip all her limbs are well set and unmaimed, and nought is amiss so far as a man may see.

Moreover, she is brown of skin all over, and much like her father, and in all things she is pleasant enough, as it seems to us." Four years later Prince Edward went to visit his bride-to-be and her family, and fell in live with her. She was betrothed to him and in 1327, when she was only 14, she arrived in England. The next year, when she was 15, they married and were crowned King and Queen in 1330 when she was heavily pregnant with her first child and only 17. This first child was called Edward, like his father, but is better known as the Black Prince. Many say that he was called this because of the colour of his armour, but there are records that show that he was called 'black' when he was very small. The French called him 'Le Noir'. Philippa was a remarkable woman. She was very wise and was known and loved by the English for her kindliness and restraint. She would travel with her husband on his campaigns and take her children as well. When the King was abroad she ruled in his absence.

Queen's College in Oxford University was founded under her direction by her chaplain, Robert de Eglesfield in 1341 when she was 28. She brought many artists and scholars from Hainault who contributed to English culture. When she died, Edward never really recovered, and she was much mourned by him and the country. King Edward had a beautiful sculpture made for her tomb which you can see today at Westminster Abbey. Sourced from the Black Cultural Archives Web Links Ancestry of Philippa of Hainault Ancestry of Philippa of Hainault Paternal Line CHARLEMAGNE, Carolingian king (768 - 814) and emperor (800 - 814) (born April 2, 746 at Aachen - died Jan 28, 814 at Aachen). He left issue by his mistress SIGRADA (living c780 - c790). CHARLEMAGNE and SIGRADA were the parents of, REDBURGA of Neustria (born c784 - died after 828, probably buried in Winchester Cathedral, Southampton, though her tomb no longer survives).

Originally named ROTHAIDE, the English called her RAEDBURH, REDBURGA being the Latinized form of that name). Redburga m (c800 in France) to EGBERT the Great, King of Wessex (802 - 839) and King of England (827 - 839) (born c770 - died Feb 4, 839, buried in Winchester Cathedral, Southampton), the son of Eahlmund of Wessex, under king of Kent and his wife NN, an Oicsinga princess of Kent (perhaps named Eadburh), the daughter of Aethelbert II, King of Kent. REDBURGA and EGBERT were the parents of, AETHELWULF, King of Wessex (839-856) and King of Kent (856 - 858, having abdicated in Wessex in favour of his eldest son Aethelbald) (born c802 - died Jan 13, 858).

He m (1) (c824) to OSBURGA of Hampshire (born c810 - died 855), daughter of Oslac, Earl of Hampshire, the king’s cup-bearer, and probably sister of Osric, governor of Dorset and Hampshire, who defeated the Viking army at Winchester in 860. Aethelwulf m (2) (at Verberie-sur-Oise, Oct 1, 856, France) to JUDITH of Neustria (born 843, died c880, who remarried (2) her stepson, Ethelbald, King of Wessex, and (3) Baldwin I Iron-Arm, Count of Flanders), the daughter of Charles II the Bald, Emperor of the Franks (875 - 877), by his first wife Ermentrude of Orleans, daughter of Odo, Count of Orleans.

AETHELWULF and OSBURGA were the parents of, AETHELRED I, King of Wessex 866-871) (born c835 - killed at the battle of Merton, April 23, 871). He m (c855) to WULFRIDA of Hampshire (Wulfthryth) (born c837, died c880), perhaps sister or cousin of Wulfhere, governor of Hampshire (c854-c878), and probably the granddaughter of Wulfhard, governor of Hampshire, who defeated the Vikings at Southampton in 840. AETHELRED I and WULFRIDA were the parents of, AETHELHELM, Earl of Wiltshire (born c859, died 897), brother of Aethelwold, King of York.

He m (c875) to EAHLSWIKTH of Mercia , who was perhaps a daughter of Ethelwulf, governor of Mercia, and niece of Queen Eahlswith, wife of Alfred the Great, leaving issue, AELFLAED (ELFLEDA) of Wiltshire ( born c885 - died a nun at the Abbey of Wilton, Wiltshire, 920). She m (c901) (as his second wife) EDWARD the Elder, King of England (born 871, died July 17, 924 at Farndon-on-Dee), who repudiated her 916, son of Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, by his wife Eahlswith, daughter of Ethelred Mucel, Earl of Gainas.

AELFLAED and EDWARD the Elder were the parents of, OTGIFA (Eadgiva), Princess of England, eldest daughter, born c906, died 953, married firstly 919, as his second wife, CHARLES III the Simple, King of France (born Sept 17, 879, died in prison at Peronne, Oct 7, 929), son of Louis II the Stammerer, King of the Franks, by his second wife Adelaide, sister of Wulfhard, Abbot of Flavigny, and daughter of Adalhard, Count of the Palace, and secondly, at St Quentin, c941, Hubert of Vermandois, Count of Meaux (born c913, died 982), son of Herbert II, Count of Vermandois and Troyes, by his wife Hildebrande of Neustria, daughter of Robert I, King of France, by his first wife Adela, daughter of Robert I, Count of Troyes.

OTGIFA and CHARLES III were the parents of, LOUIS IV d’Outremer, King of France 936-954, born 921, died Sept 10, 954, married 939, GERBERGA of Saxony (born at the abbey of Nordhausen, Saxony, 913, died at Rheims, May 5, 984), widow of Giselbert, Duke of Lorraine, and eldest daughter of Henry I the Fowler, Emperor of Germany, by his second wife Mathilda, daughter of Theobald, Count of Ringelsheim and Westphalia.

LOUIS IV and GERBERGA were the parents of, CHARLES of Neustria , Duke of Lorraine 978-992, born 953, died in prison at Orleans, 992, married firstly, (1) JUDITH of Verdun (Bona, Bonne) (born c955, died c975), the daughter of Henry of Luxembourg, Count of Verdun, and secondly, c977, ADELA of Troyes (also called Adelaide) (born c961 - died in prison at Orleans, 991), a relative of of Herbert of Vermandois, Count of Meaux and Troyes. CHARLES and JUDITH were the parents of, GERBERGA of Lorraine, born c975, died after Jan 27 in 1018, married c990, LAMBERT I, Count of Louvain (born c958, killed in battle at Florennes, Sept 12, 1015), younger son of Rainer III, Count of Hainault, by his wife Adela, daughter of Lambert, Count of Dagsburg.

GERBERGA and LAMBERT I were the parents of, LAMBERT II, Count of Louvain 1041-1062, born c995, died after Sept 21 in 1062, married c1011, ODA of Lower-Lorraine (born c995, died Oct 23, 1044), the daughter of Gozelo I, Duke of Lower-Lorraine, by his first wife Urraca of Ivrea (Doda), who was the daughter of Adalbert II of Ivrea, King of Italy. LAMBERT II and ODA were the parents of, HENRY II, Count of Louvain 1062-1078, born c1021, died 1078, married c1052, ADELA of Orlamunde (born c1030, died after 1086), probably widow of Stephen II, Count of Champagne, and the daughter of Eberhard, Count of Orlamunde, by his wife Beatrice.

HENRY II and ADELA were the parents of, IDA of Louvain, born 1066?, died 1139, married in 1084, BALDWIN II, Count of Hainault (born 1054, died after June 8 in 1099), son of Baldwin VI, Count of Flanders (I of Hainault), and his wife Richilda of Egisheim ( later 2nd wife of William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford), the widow of Rainer VI Herman, Count of Hainault, and daughter of Hugh IV, Count of Egisheim, by his wife Hedwig, daughter of Louis, Count of Dagsburg.

IDA and BALDWIN II were the parents of, BALDWIN III, Count of Hainault 1099-1120, born 1087, died 1120, married 1107, YOLANDE of Gueldres (born 1093, died before 1130, later wife of Godfrey III de Ribemont Seigneur of Valenciennes and Bouchain), daughter of Gerard I, Count of Gueldres and Wasserberg, by his wife Clementia, widow of Conrad I, Count of Luxembourg, and daughter of Adalbert II, Duke of Upper Lorraine and Count of Longwy.

BALDWIN III and YOLANDE were the parents of, BALDWIN IV, Count of Hainault 1120-1171, born c1110, died Nov 8, 1171, married 1130, ERMESINDE of Namur (born c1114, died July, 1168), daughter of Geoffrey, Count of Namur, by his second wife, Ermesinde, widow of Albert, Count of Dagsburg, and daughter of Conrad I, Count of Luxembourg, by his wife Clementia of Aquitaine, Countess of Longwy.

BALDWIN IV and ERMESINDE were the parents of, BALDWIN V the Courageous, Count of Hainault, born 1148, died Dec 17|21, 1195, married April, 1169, MARGARET of Alsace (born 1152, died Nov 15, 1194), the widow of Raoul II, Count of Vermandois, and daughter of Thierry of Alsace, Count of Flanders, by his wife Sybilla, former wife of William IV Clito, Duke of Normandy and Count of Flanders, and daughter of Fulk V, Count of Anjou, King of Jerusalem, by his first wife Eremburga, daughter of Gervaise II, Seigneur of Chateau-du-Loir.

BALDWIN V and MARGARET were the parents of, BALDWIN I, Emperor of Constantinople 1204-1205, Count of Hainault 1195-1205 as Baldwin VI, born 1172, died 1205, married Jan 6, 1186, MARIE of Champagne (born 1174, died Aug 9, 1204), daughter of Henry I, Count of Champagne, by his wife Marie, daughter of Louis VII, King of France, by his first wife Eleanor, later wife of Henry II, King of England, and elder daughter and heiress of William X, Duke of Aquitaine.

BALDWIN I and MARIE were the parents of, MARGARET, Countess of Hainault, Flanders, and Namur 1244-1280 born 1202, died Feb 10, 1280, married firstly, July, 1212, BOUCHARD d’Avesnes, Archdeacon of Laon, and Canon of St Pierre at Lille (died 1244), son of Jacques, Seigneur d’Avesnes, Conde, Guise, Leuse and Landrecies, which union was dissolved in 1221, and secondly, in 1225, WILLIAM II, Seigneur of Dampierre, and Constable of Champagne (born c1196, died 1241), son of Guy II, Seigneur of Dampierre, by his wife Mathilde, Dame de Bourbon, divorced wife of Gaucher, Seigneur of Salins, and daughter and heiress of Archambaud VIII, Seigneur of Bourbon.

MARGARET and BOUCHARD were the parents of, JOHANN I of Avesnes, Count of Hainault 1246-1257, born April, 1218, died Dec 24, 1257, married Sept, 1246, ADELAIDE of Holland (born 1231, died 1284), daughter of Floris IV, Count of Holland, by his wife Matilda of Brabant, the daughter of Henry I, Duke of Brabant.

JOHANN I and ADELAIDE were the parents of, JOHANN II, Count of Hainault 1257-1300, Count of Holland 1300-1304, born 1249?, died Aug 22, 1304, married c1273, PHILIPPINA of Luxemburg (born c1256, died April 6, 1311), daughter of Henry IV of Limburg, Count of Luxemburg-Namur, by his wife Margaret, daughter of Henry II, Count of Bar, by his wife Philippa, daughter of Robert II, Count of Dreux-Braisne.

JOHANN II and PHILIPPINA were the parents of, WILIAM III, Count of Hainault and Holland 1304-1337, born 1280, died June 7, 1337, married May 19, 1305, JEANNE de Valois (born 1291, died March 7, 1342), daughter of Charles I, Count of Valois, by his first wife Margaret, daughter of Charles II of Anjou, King of Naples.

WILLIAM III and JEANNE were the parents of, PHILIPPA of Hainault, born at Valenciennes, June 24, 1311, died at Windsor Castle, Aug 14, 1369, married at York minster, Jan 14, 1328, EDWARD III, King of England (born at Windsor Castle, Nov 13, 1312, died at Sheen Palace, June 21, 1377), eldest son of Edward II, King of England, by his wife Isabella de Valois, the daughter of Philip IV, King of France, and left issue.

Philippa of Hainault, Queen of England | Royal Descent Philippa of Hainault, Queen of England Father: William III, Count of Hainault (1286-1337) Mother: Jeanne of Valois (1294-1352) Birth: 1314 Valenciennes, Hainault [France] “Après tous ces congiés, la jone roine Phelippe d’Engleterre, en l’eage entre trèse et quatorse ans, se departi de Valenchiennes en la compagnie de messire Jehan de Hainnau son oncle”; 1 “Born in Hainault, probably at Valenciennes”; 2 “Froissart, who knew Philippa in her later years, asserted that she was in her fourteenth year at the time of her marriage in 1328.

This implies that she was born between 25 January 1314 and 24 January 1315, and thus about three years younger than her eldest sister Margaret.” 3 Margaret’s birthdate of 24 June 1310/11 is often misapplied to Philippa. A birthdate of 1314 makes Philippa age 41 at the birth of her final child in 1355, rather than age 44 or 45. Death: 15 Aug 1369 Windsor Castle, Berkshire “In mid-July Edward III received a message from Philippa. She wanted him near her…He made his way back up the Thames in the royal barge, towards Windsor…and he came to the room where Philippa lay. She lingered for a few days. Edward suspended the invasion of France while he waited with her. Then on 15 August she died (Goodman, John of Gaunt, p. 47 gives 15 August. Duffy, Royal Tombs, p. 133 gives 10 August.

Ormrod in his ODNB article on Edward gives 15 August; Vale in her article on Philippa gives ‘shortly before 14 August’. The 15th appears to be correct; see TNA E101/401/2 f.38r.). Edward and their youngest son Thomas of Woodstock were with her at the end.” 3 Burial: 9 Jan 1370 Westminster Abbey “Her funeral took place at Westminster Abbey in the following January, with the exequies commencing at Windsor on 3 January and ending at Westminster six days later, a period that spanned the anniversary of her marriage; her anniversarium (year’s mind) was formally observed by the court at Westminster.

She was buried on the south side of the Confessor’s chapel, Westminster Abbey, in a tomb chest decorated with thirty-two small figures and her own recumbent effigy.” 2 Occupation: Queen of England 1328-1369 Spouse: Edward III, King of England Marriage: 25 Jan 1328 York Minster, York “On Sunday 24 January 1328 Edward met Philippa of Hainault at the gates of York. Either the next day or on Tuesday 26th they were married in the cathedral by the archbishop, William Melton, with Bishop Hotham of Ely in attendance, watched by Mortimer and Isabella and thousands of lords, knights, esquires, priests and citizens of York. Most secondary sources give the date as 24 January, following the Bridlington chronicler. Shelton points out that there is doubt, however, noting that the St Paul’s chronicler gives the date as 30 January. Shenton suggests 25th or 26th as the household expenditure was highest on those two days, indicating the largest feast which normally would have followed the ceremony.

See Caroline Shenton, ‘The English Court and the Restoration of English Royal Prestige 1327-1345’ (University of Oxford D.Phil. thesis, 1995), p. 149.” 3 Children: Edward ‘The Black Prince’ (1330-1376) Isabella of Woodstock (1332-1382) The Baldwin Project: Great Englishwomen by M. B. Synge [23] P HILIPPA, afterwards Queen of Edward III. of England, was born in the province of Hainault in Belgium, in 1313. Her mother, the Countess of Hainault, was a wise and good woman, devoted to her husband and her four little daughters, of whom Philippa was the second. Her uncle, Sir John, was a very powerful man, and fought for England when Edward was king. Now, on one of their many visits abroad, the young Prince Edward and his mother came to Hainault, and stayed at Count William's house. The story runs, that the future King of England took a great fancy to Count William's daughter Philippa, who was about his own age.

They had long talks together, and spent a very happy fortnight, and the pretty little Philippa missed her companion very much when he and his mother were obliged to return to England. On the death of Edward II. his son Edward was crowned king, and it was thought advisable for him to marry. Now it so happened that it would be to the benefit of England to have the Flemings as allies; for the people there were ready to help Edward against the French, and to trade with England; so "a daughter of William of Hainault" was to be [24] selected for the young king. A bishop was accordingly sent over to choose which daughter should be queen. Happily for both parties, he chose the tall and pretty Philippa, who started joyfully for England to marry the young king. She received a hearty welcome, and, with her uncle and numerous attendants, went up to York, where Edward and she were married in the winter of 1328, at the ages of fifteen and sixteen. Then they went for the summer to the beautiful palace of Woodstock, while Edward's mother, and Mortimer, a bad and tyrannical man, governed the kingdom.

It was at Woodstock, in 1330, that Philippa's first son was born, the future hero, the Black Prince. To celebrate his birth, a grand tournament was held in London, and a tower was erected and filled with seats, so that the queen and all her ladies might see it. But they had scarcely taken their seats, when, with a crash, the boarding gave way, and all fell to the ground. No one was hurt, but all were very much frightened. When the young king saw the peril of his wife, he flew into a violent passion, and vowed that all the careless carpenters should be put to death. But the gentle Philippa, still trembling from the effects of her fall, threw herself on her knees before him, and pleaded for pardon so hard, that Edward forgave the men. When Edward was seventeen, he determined to govern the kingdom for himself, and throw off the restraints of his mother and Mortimer, so he shut his mother up in a castle, and Mortimer was sent to the Tower, and sentenced to die, as he deserved. Then Edward began to reform many abuses; many good laws [25] were made, and trade was encouraged with other nations.

Philippa, too, knew how well the people in her own country wove wool, so she sent for some of them to come and teach the English. First she made a little colony of weavers at Norwich, and had them taught, often going herself to look after them, and encourage their work. During all the early part of his reign Edward was fighting in Scotland, and Philippa went with him whenever she could. Once Edward had been up in Scotland, and had arranged that Philippa should meet him at Durham. Having welcomed him and supped at the priory, she retired to bed. Scarcely had she undressed, when the monks came to her door in a great state of excitement, to say that it was against rules for any lady—even a queen—to sleep at their priory. Queen Philippa was very much distressed, and, not waiting to dress, fled in her nightgown to the castle close by, where she was allowed to pass the night in peace. Up to this time Philippa's father had supplied Edward with money to carry on war with Scotland; on his death Edward became so poor that he had to pawn the queen's crown in Germany.

Soon after the English people sent their woollen manufactures to Germany, and, instead of receiving money, so the story says, they redeemed their queen's crown. In 1340, a fourth son was born to Philippa at Ghent, and called John of Gaunt—Gaunt being the old English way of saying Ghent. Now Edward had entered on a war with France, which had made him poorer than ever. Again the [26] queen's crowns and jewels were pawned, and Edward was getting into so much trouble, that one night he took his wife and baby, and with a few trusty servants crossed to England secretly. The ship was small, the weather cold, the wind was high, and at times their lives were in great danger. However, about midnight they arrived at the Tower in London, to find it unguarded and only occupied by the three royal children and nurses. Edward was in a fury, and had it not been for the gentle Philippa at his side, the guards on their return would have come off very badly.

Not only was Queen Philippa a faithful wife, always ready to calm Edward's fits of passion and to encourage the industry of the country, but now we find her ruling his kingdom for him and leading his army to battle. In 1346, Philippa said farewell to her husband and to the Black Prince, the darling of her heart, who at sixteen was off to the French war with his father. She and Lionel, a child of eight, were left to govern England. But no sooner had Edward gone, than the King of Scotland invaded England. Philippa did not spend long in wondering what was to be done—she went quickly to Newcastle, where she awaited the English army. When the King of Scotland heard she was there, he sent to say that he was ready to fight! Philippa sent back word, that she was ready too; adding, "My barons will risk their lives for the realm of my lord the king!" The queen's army drew up at Neville's Cross, and Philippa, on a white charger, so runs the story, was [27] among them.

She begged them to do their duty, and to defend the honour of the king; then leaving them to the protection of God, she rode away. She would not stop to fight; her nature was too womanly to stay and see the carnage which was going to take place; she had done all a great queen could do by cheering and encouraging her men; now she would go and pray for victory while the battle raged. When she heard it was over, she mounted her white horse and rode again to the battle-field, where she heard that not only had a victory been won, but the King of Scotland had been taken prisoner. He was taken on a tall black war-horse through the streets of London, and put in the Tower. The next day Philippa sailed for Calais, and her royal husband held a grand court to welcome his victorious queen. The terrible siege of Calais was going on; the French had defended it bravely, till at last they were so much reduced by famine that they were obliged to surrender. Everything was eaten, even the cats, dogs, and horses; there was no corn, no wine, and the unhappy people were fast dying. So the governor of Calais came to ask Edward on what terms they could surrender.

Edward was very angry at having been kept waiting so long, and refused to spare the people unless the six chief men of Calais would come out bareheaded and bare-footed, with ropes round their necks and the keys of Calais in their hands, ready to die for the rest of the people. The governor returned sad and sick at heart, and calling the people together he gave them the king's message. There was silence for a moment [28] among the feeble few. Then the hero Eustace de St. Pierre cried: "Oh! never be it said, That the loyal hearts of Calais To die could be afraid! I will be the first, I will willingly give myself up to the mercy of the King of England." Then five others followed his brave example, and the willing captives came before the angry king. They knelt and pleaded for mercy. But in vain.

In vain the lords around him begged him to restrain his anger,—he only thundered: "Strike off their heads, each man of them shall die; I will have it so!" Then gentle Philippa stepped forth and knelt at the feet of her royal husband: "My loving lord and husband," she cried, "I have crossed the stormy sea with great peril to come to you—I have been faithful to you all our wedded life—do not deny my request, but, as a proof of your love to me, grant me the lives of these six men!" The king looked at her in silence, "Lady, I would you had not been here," he cried at last, "I cannot refuse you, do as you please with them." Then Philippa joyously arose, took the men, fed them, clothed them, and sent them back to their wives, friends, and children. Soon after Philippa and Edward returned to England. The same year a terrible disease called the Black Death broke out in England, and Philippa's second daughter, a girl of fifteen, died of it.

She was [29] just going to marry the Infant Pedro of Spain, and had crossed to France, where he was to meet her, when she was taken very ill with the plague, and died in a few hours. And on the very day appointed for her wedding the little princess was buried. In 1357, the Black Prince returned to England after his victories of Crecy and Poitiers, and proudly presented his royal prisoner King John to his mother, as well as John's little son, a boy of fourteen, who had fought to the end by his father's side, and had been at last captured terribly wounded. The first day, when at dinner with the king and queen and his captive father, the boy started up, and boxed the servant's ears for serving Edward, King of England, before his father John, King of France. Philippa, instead of being angry, only smiled at the boy's spirit, and she treated him as one of her own sons as long as he remained with her. The following year Philippa, her husband, and four sons went to France, leaving Thomas, a child of five, guardian of the kingdom. There she saw her eldest son married.

She did not live to see the sad change which made the last years of her son's life so unhappy; she did not live to see her husband, with a mind once so mighty, sink into helpless old age, but she died in 1369, at Windsor. When she was dying, she called the king: "We have, my husband, enjoyed our long union in peace and happiness, but before we are for ever parted in this world, I entreat you will grant me three requests." [30] "Lady, name them," answered Edward, "they shall be granted." "My lord," she whispered, "I beg you will pay all the merchants I have engaged for their wares; I beseech you to fulfil any gifts or legacies I have made to churches and my servants; and when it shall please God to call you hence, that you will lie by my side in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey." She ceased speaking. The king was in tears. "Lady," he said, "all this shall be done." And Philippa the queen died.

Black, Queen, England, Philippa of Hainult, King Edward III, Charlotte King George III, Hainult, Isabella, Edward, George, Count When the time came for Edward to marry his mother, Queen Isabella would opt for a match with the house of Hainault. Edward was married to Philippa of Hainult, daughter of William Count of Hainault, Holland and Zealand. The marriage was not a love match at first rather a political move arranged by Isabella and her lover Mortimer of whom I shall discuss in due time. Edward was reputed to have visited the home of the count with his father years before and met the young Phillipa. Michael Packe in his book King Edward III gives us a delightful description of the king and queen's first meeting: "He spied on the unwitting sisters, and pounced on the youngest of them, Philippa by name', at the time eight years old and nearest in age to Edward, who was nearly seven years. He had then subjected her to a minute and terrifying scrutiny. Apart from some criticism of her remaining baby teeth (they were 'not so white', he had found little fault with her solid physiognomy.

Her hair betwixt blue-black and brown and not uncomely', her forehead large; her eyes blackish brown and deep, her nose though 'somewhat broad at the tip and also flattened', was 'yet no snub-nose'; her mouth was wide and generous, her ears and chin were 'comely enough', her mouth was wide and generous, she was of middle height for her age, well taught, and of 'fair carriage'. 'Her neck, shoulders, and all her body and lower limbs are reasonably well shapen; all her limbs are well set and untamed; and nought is amiss so far as a man may see. Moreover, she is brown of skin all over, and much like her father; and in all things she is pleasant enough to look at it seems to us'." The seven years later the marriage was negotiated by Isabella in a desperate attempt to gain assistance for the disposal of her husband, King Edward II. For Philippa it was a love match, even crying at the departure of the boy king after the arrival at her home. Isabella quickly took advantage of the betrothal and hired an army of Hainulters 700 strong for her landing in England.

Phillipa and Edward were first married by proxy at her home in Valenciennes in 1327. She would be escorted to her new home in London by her uncle, Sir John of Hainault. On Sunday 24 January 1328 Edward and Phillipa were married in York Minister by Archbishop Melton. She would not be crowned Queen for two years until February 1330 at time 5 months pregnant with her first born, The Black Prince. Her postponed coronation is attributed to the refusal of Isabella who refused to relinquish her Crown. She would be a good wife to Edward, always sweet of temperament and Edward was supposedly very fond of his Douce Couer, as he would call her. She was reputed not to be a great beauty as husband's mother, but very warm hearted and loyal. She would bear him 12 children and have a good relationship with her children. It said the peace between Edward's Children as opposed to Henry II's children would be due to Philippa’s loving care. Edward himself, would value her not only as his wife, but as a valuable adviser.

She would accompany him on his many expeditions one of them being Calais where she would stop Edward from executing the famous Burghers of Calais. Top left, Marquess of Londonderry coat-of arms and top right: Haliburton clan crest. Their marriage would be a happy in on the whole, however, this would not stop of him from sharing his bed with other women, notably Alice Perrers, once one of Phillipa's lady in waiting. It is not known how Philippa felt at her husband's obvious indiscretions. It is known that at her death she provided for her many ladies with the exception of Alice, who she probably resented for the affair with her husband. Philippa would die in August 1369 only accompanied by 2 of her children, Prince Edward and Thomas. Her death was deeply felt by all especially the King who lost a great and wise adviser. Margaret II of Avesnes (1311 – 23 June 1356) was Countess of Hainaut and Countess of Holland (as Margaret I) from 1345 to 1356.

Margaret was the daughter of William I, Count of Hainaut, and his wife, Joan of Valois. On 26 February 1324 in Cologne she married Emperor Louis IV the Bavarian. Top left Earl of Hertford coat-of arms. The riddle of Queen Charlotte's African ancestry was solved as a result of an earlier investigation into the black magi featured in 15th century Flemish paintings. Two art historians had suggested that the black magi must have been portraits of actual contemporary people (since the artist, without seeing them, would not have been aware of the subtleties in colouring and facial bone structure of quadroons or octoroons which these figures invariably represented). Enough evidence was accumulated to propose that the models for the black magi were, in all probability, members of the Portuguese de Sousa family. (Several de Sousas had in fact traveled to the Netherlands when their cousin, the Princess Isabella went there to marry the Grand Duke, Philip the Good of Burgundy in the year 1429.) Queen Charlotte, Lord Mansfield, Sir Allan Ramsay, Dido Elizabeth Lindsay, Holland Below King Edward VI the boy king.

The Negroid characteristics of the Queen's portraits certainly had political significance since artists of that period were expected to play down, soften or even obliterate undesirable features in a subjects's face. Directly above, Margaret II of Avesnes (1311 – 23 June 1356) Sir Allan Ramsay was the artist responsible for the majority of the paintings of the Queen and his representations of her were the most decidedly African of all her portraits. Ramsey was an anti-slavery intellectual of his day. He also married the niece of Lord Mansfield, the English judge whose 1772 decision was the first in a series of rulings that finally ended slavery in the British Empire. It should be noted too that by the time Sir Ramsay was commissioned to do his first portrait of the Queen, he was already, by marriage, uncle to Dido Elizabeth Lindsay, the black grand niece of Lord Mansfield. Thus, from just a cursory look at the social awareness and political activism at that level of English society, it would be surprising if the Queen's negroid physiogomy was of no significance to the Abolitionist movement.

Women of History: Philippa of Hainault Philippa of Hainault Philippa of Hainault Queen of England. Philippa was born (24/6/1311) at Valenciennes, Belgium, the daughter of Count Guillaume/William III de Avesnes of Hainault and Holland (d.1337) and Jeanne de Valois (d.1352. Her marriage to King Edward III of England was arranged by Edward's mother, Isabella of France (1326) - they were second cousins. She was married (24/1/1328) at York Minster and crowned two years later (c.1330). Philippa bore Edward twelve children: son Edward the Black Prince born at Woodstock (1330), Isabella, Joan/Joanna, William of Hatfield, Lionel of Antwerp Duke of Clarence, John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, Edmund of Langley Duke of York, Blanche, Mary, Margaret, William of Windsor, Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Gloucester.

Philippa was a competant woman and was appointed Regent of England by her husband Edward when he was absent on the Continent. When the Scots invaded England as far south as Durham (1346), Philippa raised an army, winning the battle of Neville's Cross, and taking the Scottish King David II Bruce (d.1371) prisoner. Philippa was responsible for the introduction of weaving into England. She was the patron of poets and musicians. Philippa herself survived the Black Death (1348) - but her daughter Joanna, en route to marry the Castilian Prince Pedro the Cruel, was struck down and died (some say fortunately). It was during the reign of her husband Edward III that English became the "official" language (1363). Philippa died at Windsor (15/8/1369), Edward at her side. She was mourned by her devoted husband and buried at Westminster Abbey. Edward died 8 years later.

~~~ Melisende (first pub: 1998 - Women of History ) Posted by Westminster Abbey » Edward III and Philippa of Hainault Edward III and Philippa of Hainault Home > History > Royals > Edward III and Philippa of Hainault Born: 13 Nov, 1312 Coronation Date: 02 Feb, 1328 Location in the Abbey: Shrine Type of memorial: Tomb Type of material: Marble; bronze Edward, son of Edward II and Isabel daughter of King Philip of France, was born at Windsor Castle on 13 November 1312 at 5.40am – he was the first English king to have the exact time of his birth recorded. Much of his reign was taken up with fighting in France, pursuing his claim to the French throne but he also brought about reforms in Parliament and founded the Order of the Garter at Windsor in 1348. During his reign the Black Death decimated the population of England. Marriage He married Philippa, daughter of William III, Count of Holland and Hainault, at York Minster on 24 January 1328. They had seven sons and five daughters.

Their eldest son Edward of Woodstock, later called the "Black" Prince probably due to the colour of the armour he wore, died in 1376 and was buried in Canterbury Cathedral. Coronation His father was deposed and later murdered and Edward was proclaimed Keeper of the Realm in October 1326 and King in January 1327. In February he was crowned in Westminster Abbey by Walter Reynolds, Archbishop of Canterbury. Philippa's coronation took place a few weeks after their marriage. Burial, Monument and funeral effigy The king died of a stroke at Sheen Palace on 21 June 1377. A torch lit procession accompanied the coffin which first stopped at St Paul's cathedral. His funeral took place in the Abbey on 5 July and he was buried near his wife in the chapel of St Edward the Confessor. The wooden effigy, which was carried at his funeral, is preserved in the Abbey collection and the face (a plaster mask fixed to the wood, slightly distorted on the left side of the mouth) is thought to be taken from a death mask. On his Purbeck marble tomb is a gilt bronze effigy, with long hair and beard, which is possibly by John Orchard.

He wears his coronation robes and holds the handles of two sceptres (the rest being broken off). He has small buttons on his cuffs and decoration on his shoes. On the flat tomb top are niches, some of which still hold small gilt angels. The pillow below the king's head is a replacement from 1871 (given by Queen Victoria), the original having been lost. The lion at his feet (shown in an engraving of 1677) has now gone. The inscription can be translated: "Here is the glory of the English, the paragon of past kings, the model of future kings, a merciful king, the peace of the peoples, Edward the third fulfilling the jubilee of his reign, the unconquered leopard, powerful in war like a Maccabee. While he lived prosperously, his realm lived again in honesty. He ruled mighty in arms; now in Heaven let him be a king".

Originally there were bronze weepers (or statuettes) of twelve of his children round the tomb but only six of these now remain on the south side - Edward the "Black Prince ", Edmund of Langley , William of Hatfield , Lionel of Antwerp, Mary of Brittany and Joan of the Tower . (Those that are now missing were to Isabel, Dame de Couci, William of Woodstock, John of Gaunt, Blanche of the Tower, Margery Countess of Pembroke and Thomas Duke of Gloucester, with their enamelled coats of arms below). Above the tomb is an elaborate wooden tester by Hugh Herland. The arches terminate in half-angels as pendants. The soffit has a rich ribbed vault of six bays with cusping and bosses carved with human and beast-heads, many of which are missing. Four large enamelled shields (showing the cross of St George and the arms of France and England quarterly) remain on the south side of the tomb chest. A state sword, seven feet long, was traditionally associated with this king and was kept near his tomb for many centuries. Also a shield covered with canvas and black leather, now much mutilated.

During the Great War the effigy was stored in the crypt of the Chapter House. Both effigy and tester were evacuated to a country house during the Second World War. Tomb dimensions in metres: length 2.90. width 1.35. height 1.70. The funeral effigy, state sword and the shield, formerly in the Abbey Museum, will be on show in the new Jubilee Galleries, due to open in 2018. Philippa of Hainault Philippa was born in 1314 and often accompanied Edward on his foreign expeditions. She is remembered for pleading successfully for the lives of the burghers of Calais who surrendered the town to Edward. She died at Windsor Castle on 14 August 1369. The king was devoted to her and spent about £3,000 on her tomb in the Confessor's chapel at the Abbey. The queen's alabaster effigy, by Hennequin (Jean) of Liège, is undoubtedly a portrait as it shows her plump figure and kindly face. She originally held the string of her cloak in one hand and a sceptre but the hands are now broken.

She wears a reticulated head dress, tight bodice laced in front, buttoned sleeves and a loose cloak. The tomb has been much mutilated over the centuries and most of its decoration has disappeared and there is now no inscription. But this short Latin inscription was recorded in 1677, translated as "Queen Philippa. Wife of Edward lies here. Queen Philippa. Learn to Live" on the base below the shields. The railings which once protected the tomb on the south side were removed in the early 19th century. Only two of the many weepers (statuettes) around the tomb still survive (the original scheme of figures is recorded in the Abbey's Liber Niger cartulary, together with statues above the tomb ie. St Louis (king), St Louis (bishop), St John the Baptist and St George). The weepers, including one thought to be Blanche of Lancaster holding her pet monkey, are protected by a grille. The headless one has the arms borne by Philippa herself below it. When the Chantry Chapel of Henry V was built this encroached on the eastern end of her tomb.

Two shields of arms remain on the south side of the tomb, two are hidden at the east end and three are on the north side (behind the protective grille). Tomb dimensions in metres: length 2.74. width 1.34. height 1.55. The tomb was sandbagged for protection during the Great War and evacuated to a country house 1939-45. Photographs of the tomb effigies, weepers, Edward's funeral effigy, sword and shield can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library. Further reading The Perfect King. The life of King Edward III by Ian Mortimer, 2006 The Funeral Effigies of Westminster Abbey edited by A. Harvey and R. Mortimer, 2003 revised edition. Gothic tombs of kinship, by A.

Morganstern, 2000 (with plan of names of all weepers once round the tomb) Royal Monuments in the 19th century by John Physick in Church Monuments II, 1987 Gleanings from Westminster Abbey by Sir G.G.Scott, 1863 p.64-5 (he found parts of her tomb in a museum) A genealogical history of the kings of England... by F.Sandford, 1677 (shows her crown, the beast at her feet and more of the shields) Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004 A 19th century reconstruction of part of Philippa's tomb base is at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Click on the images to enlarge Share 1000+ images about Edward III and Queen Philippa of Hainault on Pinterest | John of gaunt, Order of the garter and Plantagenet Forward The marble tomb effigy of Philippa of Hainault (c.1310-1369) Queen Consort of Edward III at Westminster.

Philippa was an excellent queen who not only fulfilled her duties as wife & mother (she bore & breastfed 13 children!) but was also an exceptional queen. Philippa instituted many positive economic changes within her adopted country of England, & by the time of her death she was beloved by her subjects. Queen Philippa died of dropsy at her husband's favorite castle, Windsor August 14th… See More QUEEN PHILLIPA - ENGLAND'S FIRST BLACK QUEEN - Words We Speak - GaiaNews Queen Philippa: England's First Black Queen England's First Black Queen, Mother of the Black Prince Philippa was the daughter of William of Hainault, a lord in part of what is now Belgium. When she was nine the King of England, Edward II, decided that he would marry his son, the future Edward III, to her, and sent one of his bishops, a Bishop Stapeldon, to look at her. He described her thus: "The lady whom we saw has not uncomely hair, betwixt blue-black and brown. Her head is cleaned shaped; her forehead high and broad, and standing somewhat forward.

Her face narrows between the eyes, and the lower part of her face is still more narrow and slender than the forehead. Her eyes are blackish brown and deep. Her nose is fairly smooth and even, save that is somewhat broad at the tip and flattened, yet it is no snub nose. Her nostrils are also broad, her mouth fairly wide. Her lips somewhat full and especially the lower lipï¿½all her limbs are well set and unmaimed, and nought is amiss so far as a man may see. Moreover, she is brown of skin all over, and much like her father, and in all things she is pleasant enough, as it seems to us." Four years later, Prince Edward went to visit his bride-to-be and her family, and fell in love with her. She was betrothed to him and, in 1327, when she was only 14, she arrived in England. The next year, when she was 15, they married and were crowned King and Queen, in 1330, when she was heavily pregnant with her first child and only 17. This first child was called Edward, like his father, but is better known as the Black Prince.

Many say that he was called this because of the colour of his armour, but there are records that show that he was called 'black' when he was very small. The French called him 'Le Noir'. Philippa was a remarkable woman. She was very wise and was known and loved by the English for her kindliness and restraint. She would travel with her husband on his campaigns and take her children as well. When the King was abroad she ruled in his absence. Queen's College in Oxford University was founded under her direction by her chaplain, Robert de Eglesfield in 1341 when she was 28. She brought many artists and scholars from Hainault who contributed to English culture. When she died, Edward never really recovered, and she was much mourned by him and the country. King Edward had a beautiful sculpture made for her tomb which you can see today at Westminster Abbey.

Question: Which English king was married to Philippa of Hainault?
Answer: EDWARD III